


A New Beginning

by derivedfromstrong



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Domestic Fluff, F/M, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-03-30 16:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13955760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/derivedfromstrong/pseuds/derivedfromstrong
Summary: It's the beginning of a new chapter for Pepper Potts and Tony Stark. Things are going great for the couple, but Pepper has some news that could make life a little more complicated.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is a fanfic that was originally posted on my blog. The story does not take place in a specific timeline within the MCU movies and there are no specific movie references to major events either.
> 
> I do not own Pepper Potts or Tony Stark (sometimes I wish I did). I just really enjoy their characters and love writing about them. Enjoy!

“I’m pregnant.”

There was silence after Pepper’s announcement. She stared at Tony for a long moment, trying to read his face. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but she wasn’t sure she liked the silence. “Tony… can you say something, please?”

Tony blinked, trying to understand the words that came out of Pepper’s mouth. Pregnant. Pepper was pregnant. That was amazing news and yet, he couldn’t seem to come up with the words to express those feelings. Soon, something else came out that he immediately regretted. “Are you sure?” 

Stunned by his question, Pepper laughed. She wasn’t sure why she laughed. Maybe it was nerves, maybe it was anger, but she laughed. “Of course I’m sure. I’ve got three tests to prove it. And don’t even ask me if it’s yours, because you should already know the answer to that.” 

He could hear the anger in Pepper’s voice and he couldn’t blame her. But this wasn’t something he had been thinking a lot about either. “I’m sorry… that came out wrong,” he looked at his girlfriend. “Pep, I love you. I’m sorry. It’s just a lot to take in.” Reaching to take Pepper’s hand, Tony gave it a gentle squeeze. He watched the anger on her face soften and he smiled. “I guess there’s some planning we need to do.”

Pepper smiled, hearing what Tony had to say. Squeezing his hand back, she looked at him. “I guess so.”

After she told Tony, Pepper’s first task was setting up a doctor’s appointment to actually confirm the pregnancy. Even though the three pregnancy tests confirmed her results - she even made sure to get different brands to ensure all results were accurate - she still wanted to have the confirmation from an actual doctor. 

Once the blood tests were taken and the results came back positive, then the real planning began. 

They still had time before they could really announce the pregnancy to anyone, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t have some fun with it. It was still early enough that Pepper wasn’t showing, so they didn’t have to worry too much about paparazzi or the press right now. But she knew they would eventually have to announce it to their company and the board before everyone else knew about it.

One night while they were watching the news, Pepper curled up next to Tony, looking at him. “Do you think this will make the company’s stock fall?” The company was thriving since she became CEO, but it didn’t start that way. Now with their big announcement coming up, she was worried what people might think. Even though she was great at her job, Pepper was still criticized among the business world for what she had done for the company. And now a pregnancy announcement? Maybe she should just announce her resignation instead.

“No. Not one bit,” Tony looked at her. “I had complete faith in you when I made you CEO. The stock should be the least of your concerns. You have a baby to focus on now. If anyone else gives you hell for it, they’ll have to deal with me.” Leaning in to kiss her, he smiled against her lips. “I have an idea for the announcement.”

Pepper pulled back to look at him, her brow raised at his statement. “Oh really?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Pepper and Tony get ready to announce their big news, they have a subtle disagreement of how to do it.

“You are not announcing the pregnancy with Iron Man shooting off fireworks,” Pepper shook her head. “Not going to happen.” She should’ve known that Tony wouldn’t have been serious about his statement. “I don’t want to go on social media either, that’s so blasé.”

“Come on Pep, it’ll be fun,” Tony laughed when he saw the look on Pepper’s face. He knew she wouldn’t go for the Iron Man idea, so he had a plan B.

“Okay, so it was a no to Iron Man and social media. Since you nixed those ideas, I’m going to nix a traditional press statement, because that’s boring and you’re worth so much more than that. So… how about a nice press conference?”

Pepper leaned back in her seat, sipping on her water. “I’m listening.”

A little while later, after Pepper made it past the twelve-week mark, and after they told their friends (and sworn them to secrecy), she felt comfortable enough to make their announcement. She had been working on it for a while with Tony and was very proud of what they had come up with together. 

When the day came for the announcement, it was actually Tony who was the first to wake up and wake Pepper. “Honey, today’s the day,” he kissed her cheek. “Wake up.”

Chuckling, Pepper stirred in bed and looked at the time. “I have five more minutes, this isn’t fair,” she sighed, laughing again when Tony peppered more kisses on her cheek. “Okay, okay. I’m up.”

It wasn’t going to be a typical day. Pepper was going into work for this press conference, but decided to take the rest of the day off so she could be with Tony. She already knew this was going to be crazy and maybe they should’ve cleared this with the company’s publicist first, but this was special. 

As they both got ready, Tony took his time to make sure Pepper had something to eat and she was well hydrated - it would be worse if she ended up passing out at the podium. Pepper thought maybe he was being a little clingy, but she appreciated his concern.

When they arrived at the company office later that morning, Pepper started to feel nauseous. This was it. This was they day they let the world know Baby Stark was officially on the way. Even though she woke up feeling fine, now she felt like she was going to puke.

Tony could see the worry in Pepper’s eyes. For as long as had known Pepper, there were only a few times he could actually tell when she was scared or worried, not including the times he had gone out on missions. Pepper was the strongest woman he knew. He had complete faith in her. Taking her hand, he pulled her close. “Hey. Look at me,” he offered her a smile. “You’ve handled things a lot worse than this before. You’ve got this.”

How Tony was so confident about this, Pepper would never know. But she appreciated his support. Ever since she told him about the baby, he had been so supportive and it was so wonderful. “Thanks honey,” she smiled and leaned in to kiss his cheek. “Wish me luck.”

Kissing her back, Tony held onto Pepper for just a moment longer before letting her go so she could give her big speech. Watching her walk away, Tony noticed how Pepper already had a different look to herself. Maybe he was imagining it, but she already had a new glow and it was breathtaking. The idea of becoming a dad still terrified him. But he was so glad he was doing with this Pepper. He wouldn’t want it any other way. Once Pepper was out on the stage, Tony made his way to the side of the stage so he could watch Pepper work her podium magic.

_Two big announcements from Stark Industries CEO Pepper Potts this morning. Not only will the company allow full year paid family leave and other benefits, but the CEO herself is expecting! That’s right, you heard it here first: Pepper Potts and Tony Stark are having a baby!_

Their phones would not stop ringing for hours. Even though Pepper was very stubborn about answering her phone calls and emails, this time she didn’t have the heart to answer them. Right now she was very focused on being with Tony and enjoying their time together now that they didn’t have to keep a secret anymore. Even though she would’ve loved keeping this as private as possible, Pepper knew that wasn’t going to happen. Tony had always been a public figure and now that she was with him, she was thrown into that mess too.

“We could go to Venice,” Tony suggested. He was holding onto Pepper, smiling when she laughed. “What? It was an honest suggestion.”

Pepper looked up at Tony, shaking her head. “No, we can’t go to Venice. There’s still a lot of work to be done.”

“Oh, come on. You already work too hard,” he looked at her, holding her close. “You remember what the doctor told you?”

“Yes!” Pepper laughed again, smiling when she thought about it. “Look, I know I can get stressed out easily and I work a lot, but this baby is the most important thing to me. I’m not going to risk anything.”

Holding her in his arms, Tony leaned in to kiss her. “Okay,” he said, kissing her again. “So, is that still a no for Venice?“


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper is surprised when Tony is working on something not work related, and wants in on the plans too.

Although the pregnancy started off a little rocky, mostly due to the terrible morning sickness and constant exhaustion, Pepper flourished. After the first trimester, she had her energy back to be able to run the company and still accomplish everything she wanted to do. Even though the company showed a slight decrease in their stocks after the pregnancy announcement, things were great. 

“I need the schematics for what R&D is currently working on,” Pepper looked at Tony. Even though he wasn’t always at work, he was still head of R&D and there was always something going on there. 

Tony was in his workshop, lost in his thoughts. He barely heard Pepper at first, but when he looked up and saw his beautiful girlfriend standing there, he grinned. “I’m sorry, I got distracted. What were you asking?”

Pepper rolled her eyes with a laugh. “You’re so funny,” she said, making her way closer to him. She noticed something up on his monitor, but it didn’t look like he was working on anything for the company. “What are those?”

For a moment, all Tony could look at was Pepper. She was just starting to show and she looked more beautiful than ever. Even if she disagreed with him - like she always did, Tony knew she was the most beautiful woman  in the world. Then, realizing she had asked him a question, he turned his attention back to the monitor. “Oh this? It’s nothing major. What was it you need from me?”

“Schematics for R&D’s latest tech,” Pepper told him. “I know you still have final say of many of the projects going on there, so I just wanted to see what the team has been working on. Are you sure that’s nothing important?” If she looked at the computer long enough, it looked like the plans for a baby’s crib. 

Tony could tell Pepper was being nosy, but he didn’t mind one bit. Taking her hand, he pulled her closer. Wrapping his arms around her midsection, he gave her a quick hug before kissing her bump. “Okay, you caught me. I’ve been working on crib designs… for our baby.”

Pepper chuckled, smiling when she heard him. “Well, I’m glad it’s for  _our_  baby and not someone else’s,” she teased and ran her fingers through his hair. Watching him pull up the design, she smiled and felt butterflies in her stomach. It was all so sweet. “They look great. Am I allowed to help design the nursery?” 

“Of course!” Tony laughed, looking up at her. Taking her hand, he smiled. “You know I wouldn’t trust myself to design a baby’s nursery. So, you can tell me everything you want done to it and I’ll make your dreams come true.”

Pepper hugged him tight and looked at the crib. It was going to be for their baby. It was going to be so special. “Now, I need those schematics by tomorrow evening. I don’t want to spend all weekend looking through them. Not when I have other things to do.”

“What other things?” Tony looked up at her. He didn’t purposely pry into everything Pepper was doing, but now that she was pregnant, he tried to keep some special attention on her just to make sure she was safe. Standing up, he wrapped his arms around her, pressing a gentle kiss on her lips. “Are you telling me we have plans this weekend?”

Kissing him back, Pepper smiled against his lips. “We might have plans this weekend, but I might have some other things going on this weekend too. Like planning things for the baby, or maybe just relaxing. I think we both deserve some relaxing. Perhaps at our house in Venice…?” 

Tony grinned. “Ah, so you have been thinking of going there. When were you going to tell me?”

“Later. I just wanted to make sure I could get some work things situated first. I have some vacation time I can use and still have enough once the baby arrives. Figured we could have a little vacation before the baby comes.” Squeezing his hands, she smiled, leaning in to kiss him again. “Now that I can actually eat things without throwing up and I’m not at the point where I can’t walk anymore, it’s the perfect time to go.”

“I agree. Just give me one second to save these designs and I’ll get everything else you’re looking for,” Tony squeezed Pepper once more before letting go. “Have I told you how beautiful you looked today?”

Pepper rolled her eyes, turning around to leave his workshop. “R&D schematics, due tomorrow. Three sharp.”

They did end up going to Venice, eventually. An entire week, just the two of them. Pepper had already enjoyed eating her way through Italy whenever the two of them travelled there, but now that she was eating for two, it was even more fun. It was peaceful and it was romantic, just being able to spend quality time with one another. They knew things would change when the baby was born, so they took it one day at a time.


	4. Chapter 4

As time went on and Pepper’s pregnancy progressed, she was very glad to have the support from many of her work colleagues and from Tony. Doctor’s appointments came more frequently, planning for the baby started to take precedence over work and Pepper was completely okay with that. In fact, she was getting ready for her thirty week checkup when she looked at the time.

“Tony, are you ready?” Pepper checked the time on her phone. They were running late for her appointment with her doctor and she was really hoping Tony would accompany her to this one. “We’re going to be late. You know how much the doctor hates when we’re late. She opens the office early just for us.”

“I’m right here,” Tony sighed. When he walked into the kitchen and saw Pepper, he stopped in his tracks and smiled. She looked absolutely beautiful. Thirty weeks along she still had a glow to her. But when he saw the death glare Pepper gave him, he laughed and offered her his arm. “Okay, okay. Let’s go.”

Arriving at their appointment, Pepper was glad there was no one else there to stare at them. At this stage of her pregnancy, she was constantly starting to feel tired and uncomfortable and she didn’t even want to imagine how she was going to feel in just a matter of weeks. 

“How’re you doing lately Miss Potts? Your weight looks good and your blood pressure is a bit high, but nothing that’s too concerning yet,” the doctor asked, looking at her chart. “Keeping your work load light? Can’t have that stress on your body.”

“I’ve started limiting the projects I’m working on and I’ve already started the plans for my leave. Everything’s working out just fine,” Pepper said, getting up on the exam table. “I’m starting to feel tired again, like I did the first trimester.”

The doctor chuckled as she felt around Pepper’s stomach, feeling where the baby was positioned and the approximate size. “That’s to be expected. Pregnancy is different for every woman, but many experience similar symptoms of the first few weeks in their last few. Fatigue, nausea, body aches. It’s just your body’s way of preparing for the baby. Ready for the ultrasound?”

Pepper laid back on the exam table, which wasn’t as easy as it used to be. Lifting her shirt, she prepared herself for the cold feeling of the jelly, but still shivered when the doctor squirted some onto her stomach. Reaching for Tony’s hand, Pepper gave it a gentle squeeze. She always loved this part, getting to see the baby on the screen. 

“Baby appears to be a good size, should be on track to be seven, maybe eight pounds,” the doctor moved around the wand to get a better look at the baby. She pointed out the baby’s head, hands and little feet, then paused. “Did you want to know the sex? I know you turned it down last time.”

Pepper and Tony looked at each other, silent for a moment. Even though Tony would’ve liked to know ahead of time, he knew Pepper wanted to keep it a surprise, so he agreed for her sake. “No, I think Pep still wants to be surprised,” he squeezed her hand. “As long as the baby’s healthy, that’s all that matters.” That’s what Pepper said the last time too. 

The doctor continued to move the wand around, locating the baby’s heartbeat and turned on the sound so they could hear it. Pepper’s heart fluttered at the sound. To think they’d meet their baby in a matter of weeks, filled her with such joy. Squeezing Tony’s hand, she smiled. Just a few years ago, she never imagined wanting to start a family. Now, she was so glad they were doing this together. Perhaps it was a little blessing in disguise.

After the ultrasound, the doctor scheduled them in for two more appointments. “Everything’s looking good now. Keep the stress levels low, we don’t need you going into labor early,” she warned them. “We’ll keep these scheduled and go from there. If anything feels wrong or not right, call me up and we can chat about it.” Handing them an envelope with their sonograms, the doctor smiled. “Now get out of here so I can officially open the office.” 

Thanking her doctor, Pepper put the sonograms in her purse before taking Tony’s hand as they left the appointment. “Want to grab an early lunch?” She smiled as Tony helped her into the car. “I’m starving.”

“How can I say no to a smile like that?” Tony grinned as he waited until Pepper was situated before closing her door and climbed in the driver’s side. Once he began the drive to their favorite restaurant, Tony looked at her. “So, what else do you have going on today?”

“Let’s see,” Pepper tried to think off the top of her head what she had going on that day. “I have a meeting with my assistants at two. We’re going over who’s in charge of what while I’m gone. Then at three I have a quick phone conference with the board. I should be done with work by four. Oh, you’ll have to drop by legal sometime soon to sign the paperwork for you to take over while I’m on leave,” Pepper looked at him. “Are you still sure you want to do this?”

Tony looked at her. “Of course. I’ll do anything for you. Plus, I get a few weeks off too. The company will be fine. Don’t worry about it. Can’t have you stressing about that. Now, let’s have lunch.”

* * *

As Pepper grew closer and closer to her due date, she began to feel extremely uncomfortable. She was relieved when her maternity leave started, just so she didn’t always have to sit at a desk and listen to the board of directors complain about what could happen while she was gone. It was frustrating, because she wasn’t sure what they might try to do while she was on leave. She was glad when Tony offered to keep an eye on things. She knew how much he hated CEO duties, but he was still helpful when he tried.  
  
Propping her feet up on the sofa, Pepper laid back into the pillows on the sofa. Resting her hands on her belly, she scrolled through the channels, trying to find something to watch. Though, she got bored very quick. Considering she was constantly working, sitting around the house was not something she was used to. 

Walking into the room, Tony smiled when he saw his girlfriend lounging on the sofa. He knew that even though she was glad to be on maternity leave, this was very hard for her. Sitting around was not Pepper’s thing. Her thing was to be a badass CEO and get work done. Coming up from behind, Tony gently touched her belly. “Hey you,” he kissed the side of her head. “How’re you feeling?”

Smiling when she heard him, Pepper looked up at Tony. “I’m feeling fine, baby’s pretty active today.” She moved his hand so it was on the side of her stomach where she felt the baby kicking. 

Tony’s own heart skipped a beat when he felt the baby kicking. It was just an amazing concept. “Wow,” he looked at her before leaning down to press a kiss against her stomach. “Hey kid, be nice to your mom. She’s been through a lot these past nine months. Just be nice.”

Pepper laughed when Tony began talking to her stomach. She knew that Tony was anxious about becoming a dad and even though he didn’t talk to her about it a lot, she was positive that he was nervous. But seeing him like this and knowing that no one else in the world got to see this side of Tony Stark, she was so happy they were doing this. “Baby’s being just fine. We’re fine. Everything’s going to be fine.“


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper and Tony are ready to welcome their baby into the world, but not everything goes according to plan.
> 
> *note: although not graphic, there is material that could be uncomfortable to some readers*

Except everything wasn’t fine.

Pepper had gone into labor just two days after her final appointment, she was just about 40 weeks along. Her doctor warned her of what she could expect, but she had no idea how painful the contractions would be. It had been a quiet night at home, just the two of them relaxing when she began to experience the first contractions. Tony was freaking out, but he wouldn’t let Pepper know. She had a lot of focusing to do. If this was the real deal, it was going to be a long night.

After spending about four hours laboring at home, they made their way to the hospital. Pepper was quiet, dealing with the contractions in her own way and even though Tony wanted to tell her how amazing she was doing and how strong she was, he kept his mouth shut because he didn’t want to get yelled at. In the back of the town car, Pepper squeezed Tony’s hand, breathing through every contraction every few minutes as they happened. It was intense. Though, she didn’t want Tony to see how vulnerable she felt at this moment. It was almost embarrassing. 

When they arrived, Happy drove them through the back entrance to give them as much privacy as possible - and Tony had called ahead of time to arrange it. Getting out of the car, he introduced himself to the nurses as they brought over a wheelchair for Pepper. Opening the back passenger’s door, Tony offered Pepper his hand and helped her up. He could tell she was in pain, but he knew how strong she was. “Come on, I’ve got you.”

It felt like everything was moving so slow and so fast at the same time. Pepper felt every contraction and cried out in pain every time. Reaching for Tony’s hand, she squeezed for reassurance and looked for support. Now that they were in a hospital, she was a little more willing to be vulnerable about this, but she was still stubborn. 

Hours passed and still no baby. “Tony, it hurts,” Pepper cried through another contraction. She was beginning to run out of steam, but she was still hanging in there. “I’m so over this. I want the baby to be here.”

“I know, I know,” Tony said, kissing the back of Pepper’s hand. “Doctor said you’re more than halfway there… whatever that means, but you’re doing great.” He tried his best to be supportive, even when he was freaking out just as much. This was actually happening. They were going to be parents in just a matter of time. Knowing there wasn’t much he could do for Pepper now, Tony continued to let her squeeze his hand until it was bruised, because that was all he could do. Now they just waited.

It was almost twelve hours after they arrived at the hospital and a total of twenty-three hours of labor before it was finally time to bring their baby into the world. Nurses helped prep Pepper for the delivery before the doctor came in. “All right, it’s go time.” 

Looking up at Tony, Pepper reached for his hand once again. She was exhausted, but this was going to be worth it. They were having a baby. This was it. “I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too,” Tony kissed her hand and sat by her side. He hated seeing Pepper in pain and this was more pain than he ever imagined she’d be in. 

“Okay push with the next contraction,” the doctor said and Pepper followed her directions. “Beautiful Miss Potts, just like that. Now push.”

And that’s what she did… and continued to do.

Soon, Pepper was dizzy. The constant beeping of the heart monitor in the background, along with the bright lights in her face, was a terrible combination. Combined with the terrible contractions that kept coming every thirty seconds, she felt like she was going to puke. 

She had been pushing for just about an hour and still no baby. Pepper was beyond exhausted and she was so ready to give up. Looking over at Tony, he looked pale as a ghost, afraid of what was going on - afraid of what was going to happen. Though, her attention turned back to the doctor when she heard her.

“Pepper… I need you to push. Baby needs to come out,” her doctor told her.

Taking a deep breath, Pepper held it as she pushed with the next contraction. How was it she was pushing for so long, but the baby still wasn’t coming? Squeezing Tony’s hand, she leaned back against the bed. “Something doesn’t feel right,” she whispered.

Soon, the alarming sound from the heart monitor broke that thought when the nurses began scrambling.

“What… what’s happening?” Pepper asked, suddenly feeling light-headed. Her vision blurred as a nurse placed an oxygen mask over her mouth. 

Tony stood back, not only to get out of the nurses way, but to look at Pepper. “What’s going on?” He asked, his stomach dropping with the sudden thought he could lose Pepper and their baby.

“The baby’s in distress,” the doctor said. “We have to get Miss Potts to the OR now. We have to perform an emergency caesarian.”

Tony swallowed the lump in his throat. “Is she going to be okay?” He looked at the doctor, who didn’t answer right away. “Is she going to be okay?!” He repeated, trying to keep his cool.

“We have to go now. A nurse will help you scrub in,” the doctor said.

Pepper looked over at Tony, her hand still extended toward him. “Tony…” she said beneath the mask. 

This was their greatest fear. Tony remembered discussing this with Pepper about a month ago. She had been so nervous about having the baby and everything that could go wrong. He told her not to worry about a thing, that she was strong and they could do this. No matter what. Now he felt sick to his stomach as he realized this was not going to plan at all. 

A nurse helped him change into his scrubs and escorted him down to the OR, where Pepper was being prepped for the surgery. Once his hands were scrubbed clean and he was in gloves, Tony was in the room, right beside Pepper.

“I’m right here, Pep. I’m not going anywhere,” Tony whispered, kissing her temple. He noticed how terrified she looked. Taking her hand, he gave it a squeeze. “You’re doing great. Just think this is almost over with.”

Pepper wasn’t completely out of it, but she wasn’t completely aware of what was happening either. Staring up at the blank white ceiling, she couldn’t even think of what had gotten them here. She just wanted her baby to be here. She could see Tony and hear his reassurances, but she still had no idea what was going on. Feeling pressure while the doctors operated, tears welled up in Pepper’s eyes. She prayed that their baby was okay. 

Tony held onto Pepper’s hand, stroking the back of it with his thumb. He didn’t really believe in religion, but right now, he hoped to whatever higher power was around that Pepper and their baby would be okay. And for a moment, all he could see was Pepper’s red face, her grimace, the sweat rolling down her forehead. Then he heard a miracle - a baby’s cry.

“It’s a girl,” the doctor said, cutting the cord and handing the infant over to a nurse, who immediately brought the baby over to get checked out. 

Tears now stained the sides of her cheeks, Pepper heard their baby girl and her cries. She was so happy, but so tired - she only closed her eyes for a moment before it all faded to black.

Tony stood up to take a look at the baby. Their baby. Their baby girl. He let out a sigh of relief, knowing she was potentially going to be okay. The baby - their daughter - had lots of dark hair and he bet she had the most beautiful eyes. “Pep, she’s beautiful,” he swallowed the lump in his throat. Looking down at Pepper, he saw how pale she was and her eyes were now closed. “Pep? Pepper, honey?” He immediately took her hand again. “Pepper, you’ve gotta open your eyes. You have to see your baby girl.” 

With the chaos in the room, the doctors and nurses immediately set their attention on saving Pepper. She was losing a lot of blood. The baby wailed, her lungs so strong. Tony was frozen with fear. Soon he was escorted out of the operating room and out to the hall. Here he thought the worst was over, but it was just beginning. 

* * *

 After what felt like hours, the doctor soon reemerged from the operating room. Tony was sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall - completely numb. 

“Mr. Stark?” The doctor said. It took a moment for Tony to react, but he soon stood up and looked at the doctor. 

“How’s Pepper? Is she -“ He paused, unable to finish the sentence. 

The doctor offered a small smile. “Miss Potts is going to be just fine, the recovery is going to be tough,” he told him the truth. “She lost quite a bit of blood, but she’s stable. We’re confident she’s going to be fine. They’re wheeling her to recovery right now.”

Tony let out the breath he had been holding. Pepper was alive. “And the baby?”

“Vitals are steady and she’s putting up quite a fight with the nurses,” the doctor smiled. “Would you like to meet your daughter?”

Tony nodded, silent as he followed the doctor to the recovery room Pepper was in. He could hear the baby fussing and he smiled - she was already stubborn like her mother. 

Entering the room, the nurses kept quiet in the background. Tony’s attention immediately turned to Pepper, who was as pale as the white bedsheets she lay on and he felt sick. She was currently asleep, hooked up to several IVs - one providing her blood. While the heart monitor beeped in the background. She was stable and she was safe. Tony needed to remember that. Leaning down to kiss her forehead, he lingered for a moment. “I love you, don’t leave me.” He waited for a moment before a squeak turned his attention to the nurse holding his daughter.

“Would you like to hold her?” The nurse asked, offering the baby to her father.

At first, Tony had no idea how to react. He was completely worried that he’d drop this tiny human being presented to him. He almost protested, but the nurse was already placing the baby in his arms, reminding him to support the head and neck. The baby girl fussed, but soon quieted. She blinked her eyes open a few times, staring up at him. “Hey there…” he whispered softly. Even though she had the darkest brown hair and currently dark eyes, Tony was amazed at how much she resembled Pepper. Babies had never interested him before, but this was a completely different feeling. This was his daughter. Carefully sitting in the chair beside Pepper’s hospital bed, Tony held his daughter.  

“Your mom is the strongest person I know,” he spoke to the baby. “She’s going to pull through this. She’s tough. She’s the most amazing woman I’ve ever met. I love her so much and I know she’s going to love you too.” It felt strange talking to the baby, but Tony felt oddly comforted by it. His daughter closed her eyes and soon fell quiet, deciding now was the perfect time for a nap. 

Tony wasn’t sure how long he had been sitting there, but he had eventually put the baby back in the hospital bassinet so she could sleep. Now he was holding Pepper’s hand, anxiously waiting for her to open her eyes. Even though she was stable, the wait was agonizing. Soon he felt her hand twitch in his and he gently squeezed her hand. “Pep… honey? Open your eyes for me.”

Pepper moaned, but blinked her eyes a few times, squinting in the light. “Tony…” she went to speak, but her throat was dry. 

“Shh… take it easy,” Tony’s heart leapt through his chest, but he contained his excitement. Standing up, he leaned over to kiss her forehead. “You gave me quite a scare.”

“What happened?” Pepper asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tony didn’t want to talk about how he almost lost her or the baby. He knew he’d have to talk about it eventually, but right now he wanted to reassure her things were just fine. “You had an emergency c-section. Do you remember that?”

Pepper vaguely remembered. Everything was kind of a blur right now. Except… 

“Tony… the baby?” She looked around, then noticed the bassinet beside her bed. “Is that…”

Pushing the bassinet closer, Tony smiled. “Miss Potts… meet your daughter.”

Looking at the baby, she gave him a small smile. “Our daughter?”

“Seven pounds, three ounces… spitting image of you.” Tony smiled again. He knew that babies didn’t really resemble either parent right away, but he could’ve sworn their daughter looked just like her mother. “Do you want to hold her?”

Pepper chuckled tiredly. Of course she wanted to hold her daughter, but she was exhausted and her eyes were already heavy with sleep. “Maybe in a bit… I’m so tired.”

Tony chuckled, leaning down to kiss her forehead again. “Okay, you get some rest. I’ll have a nurse come back to help in a little while.”

“I love you,” she smiled, eyes drifting shut.

“I love you too,” Tony kissed her once more. He had been so afraid he’d lose her, he didn’t want to stop kissing her. Sitting down beside her once again, Tony looked around at his family. Never in his life did he imagine having a family and now that he had gotten so close to losing them, he didn’t want to leave their side ever.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepper finally gets to hold her new baby... and come to terms with the delivery itself.

It had been a few hours since their daughter had been born, but this was the first time Pepper got a good look at her. They had been transferred back to their private suite and Pepper was finally awake enough to function. She was surprised when Tony picked up the infant first, before carefully passing her over to her mother. She was even more surprised when he reminded her to support the baby’s head and neck.

Carefully taking the baby into her arms, Pepper stared down at the newborn. This wasn’t exactly how she hoped their first meeting would go, but better late than never. The baby fussed with the transition, but Pepper hummed and the baby began to calm and settled down. 

“She’s so beautiful,” Pepper smiled. Looking over at Tony, she noticed he had tears in his eyes. Turning her attention back to the baby in her arms, she rocked her gently. “We still have to decide on a name.”

“We have a little time to decide and get to know her better,” Tony told her with a teasing grin. “I couldn’t even give you one right now if I tried.”

When they first discovered she was pregnant, Pepper insisted on keeping the sex a surprise. Even though it would’ve been much easier to know so they could’ve designed the nursery and already choose a name, she loved not knowing the entire time. They had come up with a small list of names for either boys or girls, but nothing stood out.

Pepper turned her attention back to the newborn. The baby had lots of dark hair and the softest skin. It was absolutely amazing. She never imagined anything else so perfect in her life. Tony kept mentioning how the baby looked just like her, but she couldn’t see that resemblance yet. Stroking her daughter’s perfect little cheek, she smiled. “Hello beautiful.”

Watching Pepper interact with their daughter, Tony couldn’t help but feel immensely proud. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt this happy, but he hoped the feeling wouldn’t go away anytime soon. He also noticed the color was back in Pepper’s cheeks and she didn’t look half-dead, so he felt things were finally starting to look up. “How are you feeling?” He asked, kissing her gently.

“I’m okay - really sore, kind of tired. But I’m okay, I promise.” Pepper looked at him, noting the silly grin on his face. “What?”

“I was just admiring how beautiful you are right now,” Tony grinned, laughing when he saw the look Pepper gave him. “You are glowing, Pep. You just had a baby. You’re absolutely beautiful right now.”

Though, Pepper didn’t necessarily feel beautiful right now. She just had major surgery, had a baby, and underwent a blood transfusion. She’d never understand how Tony saw her as beautiful, but she’d just let him have this moment. 

The baby hiccuped in her arms and Pepper looked back down at her. “Oh, did you want some of the attention now? You must get that from your daddy,” she teased and gently bounced the baby in her arms. Even with all of the happiness and love she was feeling right this moment, there was also a tinge of sadness knowing that the birth itself with awry. She had imagined what this day would be like, but everything went so wrong, so quick.

Noticing Pepper’s subtle change in mood, Tony sat down and took her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Hey… I know this isn’t what you expected, but our daughter is healthy and you’re going to make a full recovery. It’ll take some time, but you’re going to be okay.”

“I know, it’s just disappointing,” Pepper kept her attention on the baby in her arms. “I just imagined everything happening one way and it did a complete 180,” she shrugged. As long as their daughter was thriving, then she’d be okay, eventually. 

Pepper smiled down at the baby in her arms. This little baby girl was her whole world now. Everything was going to revolve around her and she didn’t mind one bit. They had gone through so much to bring their daughter into the world, she was so glad the baby was finally here. Closing her eyes, she hummed a little lullaby. Soon she felt herself falling asleep with the warm weight of her sleeping daughter with her. It all felt so perfect.

Tony stood to kiss the top of Pepper’s forehead. “Get some sleep honey,” he whispered and pulled the blanket over her some more. For once in his life, he finally felt like things were going to be okay.


	7. Chapter 7

Rhodey was their first visitor. Carrying a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a teddy bear in the other, he poked his head into the room with a smile on his face. He had been waiting impatiently since Tony had sent him the first text letting everyone know Pepper was in labor and the first text about the baby being born, he couldn’t wait to visit. 

“Hey Rhodey,” Pepper smiled. She had been bottle feeding the baby, who was falling asleep with half the bottle left. When she saw the flowers and the baby gift in his hands, she shook her head. “You know you didn’t have to.” 

“But I wanted to,” Rhodey said, putting the gifts down by the window. Moving closer to Pepper, he gave her a friendly peck on the cheek. “Congratulations. She’s beautiful,” he grinned, looking at the baby in his friend’s arms. “Does she have a name yet?”

Pepper laughed, shaking her head. “Nope, not yet. Still Baby Girl Stark,” she told him. “We’ve narrowed it down, but nothing has stuck. She’ll have a name before we leave the hospital, I’m staying positive.”

“Everyone’s eager to meet her,” Rhodey spoke up. “But figured it’d be best not to crowd the hospital room.” Sitting down on the sofa by the window, he looked at his friends. “How’re you both doing? Adjusting well?” Tony had told him about the c-section and Pepper’s close call, but he decided he wouldn’t bring it up unless they did. He did notice that Pepper had color in her cheeks, so that was something.

“I like to think we’re doing well,” Pepper chuckled when she heard Rhodey’s question. Taking the bottle out of her daughter’s mouth, she set it aside for now and began to burp her. “She’s been a sweetheart so far. I think the real test begins when we bring her home.”

“Everyone still can’t believe Tony’s a dad,” Rhodey teased, laughing when he got a dirty look from Tony. “What? It’s true… but either way, we’re all still so happy for both of you.” Looking at his little niece, he couldn’t help but smile. “She’s going to be a real heartbreaker, you know.”

“Don’t remind me,” Tony shook his head, laughing because he didn’t even want to think about any of that right now. His daughter wasn’t even twenty-four hours hold yet. “I will admit she’s already got me wrapped around that little finger of hers. She’s amazing.”

Once she was able to get the baby to burp, Pepper readjusted her daughter in her arms since she was already starting to fall asleep. “Would you like to hold her?” She asked, smiling at Rhodey. “She’s pretty chill right now.”

“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Rhodey grinned. He carefully leaned over to take the baby girl from Pepper’s arms, making sure to support her head and neck. The baby fussed a little with the movement, but relaxed as soon as Rhodey sat down in his seat. Looking down at the baby, he grinned. She was an absolute beauty. 

“We want you to be her godfather,” Pepper smiled. Even though neither she nor Tony were very religious, she thought it would be nice for their daughter to still have godparents. And even though they chose Rhodey, she already knew the whole team would spoil this child like crazy.

“I’d be an idiot to decline that offer,” Rhodey laughed, bouncing the baby. He wondered if the baby girl in his arms knew how many people already loved her. He sat with his niece in his arms for as long as he could before having to leave. 

Getting up, he passed the baby back over to Pepper, smiling as she settled back into her mother’s arms. Rhodey gave Tony a quick hug and shook his hand. “Congrats again you two,” he told them. “Get some rest. You’re going to need it.“

As soon as Rhodey left, Tony sat next to Pepper on the bed. He reached over to stroke their daughter’s cheek. “I never imagined being a dad. It actually terrified me. I’m still terrified, but now as I look at both of you, I know we’re going to figure this out and it’s going to be okay.” Looking at Pepper, he leaned in to kiss her.

Kissing him back, Pepper smiled when the baby squeaked in her arms. Chuckling, she looked at their baby girl. “Don’t worry, there’s plenty of kisses for you too,” she brought her up, kissing her forehead. Resting her head on Tony’s shoulder, she closed her eyes for a moment. “Will you order something for dinner? I’m starving.”

Chuckling, Tony kissed the top of Pepper’s head. “For you, I’ll do anything,” he said and grabbed his phone. “I’ll make sure dinner’s here by the time your nap is over.”

Pepper smiled and adjusted her daughter so the baby was resting on her chest. The skin-to-skin bonding was important to her, especially after missing those first few hours after the birth. Once they were both situated, she closed her eyes. Right now, she was content.


	8. Chapter 8

“What about Lucy?” Tony asked, staring at the baby in her bassinet. Pepper made a face and he laughed. 

Pepper shook her head. This was useless. Their daughter was two days old now and she still didn’t have a name. She was starting to regret waiting until the baby was born before knowing if they’d have a son or daughter, but that anticipation had been fun. Now they had to give their daughter an identity that would be all hers and it was probably the hardest decision of her life. 

“How about…” Pepper looked at their daughter, who was peacefully asleep in the hospital bassinet. This was crazy, how could she not have a name for her own daughter? “Emma?” She looked back at Tony. “Emma Maria Stark?”   
  


Tony ducked his head at the mention of Maria. Even though he and Pepper both agreed not to name their child directly after any of their parents, he did like the idea of their daughter having a little bit of his mother’s name. Then he thought of something and laughed. “Her initials would be EMS…” Looking at Pepper, he grinned. 

Pepper rolled her eyes, but smiled back. “Well, she needs a name before we leave the hospital. As much as I want to take our daughter home, I refuse to leave before we name our daughter.”

“Pep, I’m just playing with you,” Tony laughed again, reaching for her hand. “Believe me, the initials could be a lot worse. I think Emma is a great name for our daughter. What do you think?” He asked, turning his attention to the sleeping baby. “Are you our little Emma Maria Stark?”

Then, as if she had been listening the whole time, the baby peeked an eye open. Tony grinned. “I think that’s a yes!” That had been so much harder than he anticipated. Picking up his daughter, he brought her over to her mother.

“Then it’s settled, Emma Maria Stark. We can sign the birth certificate tomorrow morning.”

Resting the baby against her chest, Pepper kissed the top of her daughter’s head. “My beautiful Emma. You are my little miracle.” Smiling when her daughter looked up at her, she took her little hand. “I can’t wait to take you home and we can be a family.” 

Pepper was getting restless being in the hospital and she knew the reason they were keeping her there was to not only recover from the cesarean, but also make sure the baby was doing fine and there were no other complications. She was told the recovery wouldn’t be easy, but she was so bored being stuck in the hospital bed. 

“What are you thinking about?” Tony asked, noticing the look on Pepper’s face. Sometimes he wondered if she realized how often she looked like she was stuck in deep thoughts. He sat on the edge of her hospital bed, placing a hand on her leg.

“Oh you know, same old, same old,” Pepper smiled. “I was just thinking about how bored I am here and how surprised I am that you haven’t started yelling at the doctors and nurses to let us go home.” Usually Tony hated hospitals, so she was super surprised when he didn’t seem to throw a tantrum this time around. 

Tony grinned when he heard her, because she wasn’t wrong. He hated that she was still stuck here, but he also had his reasons. “First off, I’m trying not to make the nurses mad because they’re taking care of you. Second, I want to make sure you’re healthy and safe before we go home. You had major surgery Pep, a lot happened. I want you to be recovered before we go home.” He couldn’t bear the thought of something happening once they got home and reliving everything all over again. Giving her leg a gentle squeeze, he smiled. “I will talk to the doctor and see what he says. Don’t worry… the second they tell me you can go, we will be out of here.”

Pepper reached out for Tony, taking his hand when he met her halfway. “Okay,” she agreed. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Pep. You mean the world to me.” Tony smiled back. Looking at his girlfriend and his daughter, he felt an odd sense of something he had never felt in is life before - peace. 


	9. Chapter 9

It was a four days later when they finally got to bring their daughter home. After being cooped up in the hospital bed for almost a week, Pepper was very eager to get going. She was still sore and not able to do much considering the surgery she had, but she was very glad they could finally go home and be a family.

Tony instructed Happy to pick them up from the staff entrance of the hospital to avoid anyone trying to get a picture of the newest Stark. He knew the hospital already had security measures implemented to keep Pepper and the baby safe, but he didn’t want to take any chances. As the nurses wheeled Pepper to the entrance, he gently carried the carseat with their sleeping daughter in tow. He was careful to be as gentle as possible, hoping the baby wouldn’t be disturbed.

Once at the car, Happy opened the door for Pepper and carefully helped her from the wheelchair to the seat. Tony was next, strapping in his daughter’s carseat, before climbing in beside them both. Kissing Pepper’s cheek, he smiled. “We’re finally going home.”

Pepper kissed him back, offering him a smile before checking on the baby. Emma was still sleeping peacefully, undisturbed by the movement. “Let’s go home,” she whispered softly. As soon as everyone was settled, Happy began their trip back home. As they left the parking structure, Pepper could see many reporters and paparazzi standing near the front of the hospital. Luckily they weren’t right at the doors, bothering other people, but Pepper hated these vultures were out to try and get a photo of her little girl. It seemed unfair to many, many people.

Noticing her gaze, Tony took Pepper’s hand, giving it a squeeze. “Don’t worry,” he started. “I’ve already got security measures implemented at home too. No one’s getting in or out without the proper security clearance.”

“Don’t you think maybe that’s going a little too far?” Pepper asked, even though she appreciated the thought. 

Tony shook his head. “Not if it means keeping my two girls safe,” he told her. “You and Emma are most important. I’ll do everything to keep you both safe.” Pressing a kiss against Pepper’s knuckles, he smiled. “Just think, now we can both sleep in the comfort of our own bed. I don’t know about you, but that hospital couch was not the most comfortable thing.”

Pepper laughed when she heard him, squeezing his hand again. Once they were far enough away from the hospital, she lifted back the blanket covering Emma’s carseat and smiled at the sleeping baby. Their daughter was the most precious person in her life. Like Tony, she’d do anything to keep her daughter safe. Gently stroking Emma’s cheek, she smiled. “We’re almost home little one. Then we can sleep the rest of the day.”

Once they arrived back to the tower, Pepper covered up Emma’s carseat once again before they got out of the car. Tony helped her up first, making sure she was taking it slow and not overexerting herself. Then he reached for the baby’s carseat. He was careful to not jostle the seat too much - he didn’t want to wake the baby. His heart beat faster as they carried their daughter inside their home. They were home. 

Heading inside, Pepper smiled when she saw flowers all over their house. Fresh bouquets on every table, along with a pile of gifts and cards on the kitchen island. She knew they had a lot of people who loved them and were excited for the baby, but she didn’t expect all of this. 

“I may have given Rhodey and a few others permission to clean and decorate the place, but this is not what I was expecting,” Tony laughed when he saw it all. He knew the team was thrilled about the new addition, but this was even more than what he imagined. 

“It’s okay,” Pepper told him. “I love it.” 

Tony carefully placed Emma’s carseat on the ground and watched as Pepper was about to bend over to get her, but he shook his head. “Nope, doctor says you’re not supposed to do that. Sit.”

Pepper rolled her eyes, but followed his instructions to sit. While she was getting comfortable, Tony unbuckled Emma from her carseat and did his best to carefully bring her over to Pepper. The baby began fussing almost immediately and Pepper smiled as she took the newborn in her arms. “Shh… it’s okay. You’re okay.” Resting the baby against her chest, she rubbed her little back, soothing her. “Welcome home, Emma.”

Sitting beside Pepper, Tony smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Watching her interacting with their daughter was the most amazing thing in the world. He was confident she would be a good mom. Kissing her cheek, he smiled. “Welcome home, both of you.”


	10. Chapter 10

It had been almost a month since Emma had been born and even though Pepper and Tony were over-the-moon with their baby girl, some days proved to be a real struggle.

Pepper was dealing with a little bit of the baby blues, partly because she felt she wasn’t connecting with her daughter as well as she hoped, and partly because she felt like a disaster. Emma had a hard time nursing would sleep during the day, then she was very colicky at night. It was starting to wear Pepper out and even though Tony did his best to help, that stressed her out even more because she felt she wasn’t doing anything right.

One night, Pepper awoke to the sound of Emma fussing in her bassinet and was met with a very messy surprise.

“Tony, can you grab a clean diaper please?” Pepper sighed as she picked up her messy and fussy daughter from her bassinet. Looking at the clock, she realized it was three in the morning and wanted to start crying herself, but Pepper knew if she started crying, Emma would cry even harder and nothing would get solved.

Heaving himself out of bed, Tony grabbed a diaper from the makeshift changing table they set up on their dresser and handed it to Pepper. “Here you go,” he said, reaching down to stroke Emma’s cheek. “Hey, what’s with the crying? Look, we’ve got clean clothes here for you.” He was trying to calm the baby down, but the baby continued to wail.

Pepper fought with little wiggling arms and legs to get Emma into her clean diaper and onesie and even though they struggled, she soon succeeded. However, Emma still continued to cry. Picking her daughter up, she rested her against her shoulder. “Shh, you’re okay.”

Now that his eyes were adjusting to the dim light in the room, Tony could see the tears in Pepper’s eyes and felt terrible that she was so tired and emotional. He didn’t want to say the wrong thing, but he didn’t know what that was either. Eventually he tried something. “Pep… let me take her. You need some sleep.”

“She might need to be fed, I can nurse her,” Pepper said, her voice cracking and the tears threatened to fall. “It’s fine. I’m fine. This is fine.”

Though, Emma continued to cry. Tony looked at Pepper and could tell she was stressed, which was why the baby was still wailing. “Pep… please. I know there’s a bottle in the fridge. Let me help you.” He tried to not argue with her, but right now he knew that he could help.

“Okay,” Pepper finally agreed. Carefully handing Tony the wailing baby, she watched as he took their daughter in his arms. 

Tony took the wiggling baby in his arms, careful to support her head and neck.

“There we go,” he whispered gently. “Let’s go downstairs so mom can get some sleep.” He looked at Pepper, who nodded, before going downstairs. Heading to the kitchen, he grabbed the bottle from the fridge and warmed it up. “Here we go, are you hungry?” 

Bringing Emma into the living room, Tony sat on the sofa with his daughter in his arms. Fatherhood was something he never, ever imagined. But the moment he laid eyes on his daughter, things changed and even though there were days where he didn’t know a damn thing about how to be a dad, he was trying his hardest. He knew Pepper was having a hard time adjusting sometimes, so he did what he could do to help. “You’re just being stubborn, hmm? Must’ve gotten those strange sleeping patterns from me. We’ll have to apologize to your mom in the morning.” Emma gazed up at him while taking her bottle and Tony smiled. “Your mom will be okay. She’s just stressed out. But she loves you so much.”

Meanwhile upstairs, Pepper crawled back into bed. She felt guilty for not going downstairs to make sure Tony and the baby were okay, but she was so damn exhausted, she just wanted to sleep. Closing her eyes as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep immediately. 

After the baby finished with her bottle and Tony sat her up to pat her back. Emma looked around the room and Tony smiled. He knew that their daughter probably had no idea what was going on around her, but he did hope that this meant she understood where she was - this was her home. Once Emma let out a burp, Tony laid down on the sofa, with Emma across his chest. He wanted Pepper to get a few solid hours of sleep before taking Emma to feed her again. Soon his daughter quieted down and they both fell asleep. 

Pepper woke up again just before sunrise. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but quickly realized she was the only one in the room. Remembering that Tony took Emma downstairs to feed her, Pepper felt bad. She knew parenthood wasn’t going to be easy, but she felt like she was struggling and of course, here was Tony, saving the day.

Pulling herself out of bed, she went downstairs to see what Tony and their daughter were up to. When she saw them both asleep on the sofa, she smiled. Tony was adjusting to fatherhood much better than she anticipated. It wasn’t that she didn’t have faith in him, but he always told her his doubts about being a dad. But it was incredible seeing the look of amazement on Tony’s face every time their daughter did something amazing.  Since they were still asleep, she decided not to bother them and went upstairs to get some more sleep… or shower - maybe both.

Tony soon awoke to the sound of his daughter cooing. Opening an eye, he was met with Emma looking down at him. She was getting better at holding her head up and not quite smiling yet, but Tony grinned up at her. “Well hello there,” he smiled. “Did you have a good sleep? Should we check on mom?” Emma let out a grunt, then gripped his shirt and Tony chuckled. “Okay, let’s check on mom.”

Heading up to their bedroom, Tony smiled when he saw Pepper in bed. He knew this wasn’t easy for her, but Pepper was an amazing mom and he’d do whatever he could to make sure she knew that. Sitting in bed beside her, he leaned down to kiss her cheek. “Good morning…” he murmured. 

Hearing Tony, Pepper smiled. Opening her eyes, she saw Tony with Emma in his arms and grinned. “Good morning,” she said back. “How’s our little girl?”

“She’s just fine, probably hungry. She’s been chewing on my shirt.” Tony chuckled, waiting until Pepper was sitting up before passing their daughter over to her. “How are  _you_  doing this morning?” 

Pepper smiled as she took Emma in her arms, but the smile faded when she heard his question. “I feel like a failure,” she said quietly, tears already falling. “I’m constantly tired. I can’t think. I couldn’t even console her last night. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong.” 

“Hey…” Tony wrapped his arm around Pepper, kissing her cheek. “You’re not expected to be perfect at this. It’s okay to ask for help. Our daughter loves you. You’re doing just fine, Pep. You’re an amazing mom.” He stroked Pepper’s hair. “You’ve always been the one to encourage me when I feel down. Like you told me, there is no instructional guide to being a parent. We’re learning this together. Don’t shut me out, please.”

Pepper sniffled, mad that she was crying. In her arms, Emma began to coo, looking up at her mom. Looking at her daughter, she smiled through the tears. Nothing could change the love she felt for her daughter, even if she was struggling. “Morning baby,” she smiled. “I love you so much. We’re going to figure this out. I promise.”

Then, Pepper let out a tearful laugh. “I thought I’d be the one giving you this talk,” she looked at Tony. “I’ve watched you immediately step into the father role and you’re amazing at it. Ever since she was born, every time Emma’s in your arms, she looks at you like you’re the most amazing person in the room. I didn’t even want to hold her the first chance I had.“

“Pep, you can’t blame yourself for that. I was there that day. You almost died,” Tony shook his head, trying to find the right words. He hadn’t spoken with her much about what actually happened the day their daughter was born. “You were conscious the moment she was born. You heard her cries, you cried, but then we almost lost you. I wouldn’t know what to do if that actually happened.” Tony reached over to stroke her cheek. “You were recovering. I had no issue when you said you didn’t feel well enough to hold your daughter yet. And when you finally did get to hold your daughter, I saw the spark in your eyes. You love your daughter.”

Looking at little Emma in her arms, Pepper nodded. “I love her so much.”

“You’re doing a great job,” Tony told her. “And if you need to talk with someone, that’s not me, about the feelings you’re having, then we can make that happen. Anything that will help you feel better, is just fine by me. We can do this together.”

Running his hand through Pepper’s hair, he leaned in to kiss her. Though, he was careful not to squish the baby in her arms. Pepper smiled, kissing him back. Emma cooed again, then Pepper looked at her. “Okay, okay. Let’s get you fed.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We've come to the end of our little adventure. Tony has a question for Pepper... and she has one for him too.

Things slowly started getting easier. Emma soon began to adjust to a better sleep schedule that involved sleeping longer through the night, which was less stressful for Pepper. Tony could see the difference too. He did his best to help with Emma during the few odd night feedings, since he didn’t always sleep well at night either. It was slowly getting better for everyone.

On the morning of their six-week checkup, Tony awoke to the sounds of a lullaby in their room. Opening his eyes, he saw Pepper sitting in the rocking chair in the corner of their room with Emma in her arms, singing to her. They were glowing in the sunlight that was just beginning to rise out on the horizon.

Quietly grabbing his phone from the bedside table, he snapped a quick picture or two, then just watched them. It was the most beautiful thing, watching Pepper with their daughter. The moment was so peaceful, he wasn’t sure he wanted to ruin it. But he also wanted tell Pepper how much he loved her.

Getting out of bed, Tony made his way to his family. “Good morning,” he whispered, leaning down to kiss Pepper’s cheek. “How are my beautiful girls today?”

Pepper smiled when she felt the kiss on her cheek. Looking over at Tony, she chuckled. “We’re doing just fine. Emma wanted to watch the sunrise and I told her this is the best spot. Right baby girl?” The baby was busy nursing, but Pepper took that as an answer anyway. “Isn’t it so beautiful?”

“Yeah,” Tony said, but he wasn’t talking about the sun. This was the most beautiful Pepper had ever looked. Then he asked her something he’d been thinking about for years. “Will you marry me?”

There was silence for a moment, Pepper just stared out the window at the sun rising over the ocean. A million thoughts crossed her mind, but there was only one thing that stood out. “You’re not just asking because we have a baby now, right?”

Taking her hand, Tony knelt down in front of the rocking chair. Emma was still nursing, but that didn’t bother him one bit. “No, not at all,” he told her. “Pep, I’ve wanted to marry you since the day we met. I wanted to marry you the moment you told me you were pregnant and when you gave birth to our daughter… but I think you get the point. Pepper, I’m asking because I love you.”

Looking at him, she smiled. She could feel the tears threatening to fall, but she held them back. “Ask me again.”

Tony grinned. “Pepper Potts, will you marry me?”

“Yes,” Pepper whispered back. “A million times yes.”

Standing up, Tony leaned in to kiss her, careful of Emma who was still in Pepper’s arms. Pressing his lips against hers, this was the happiest he felt in so long. Though, as he went in for another kiss, Emma began to fuss. Looking at his daughter, he grinned. “Oh, sorry I interrupted. I’ll let you ladies finish up.”

He quickly kissed Pepper again, then allowed them to finish up. Yawning, he decided to head downstairs to start a pot of coffee. Sitting down as he waited for the coffee, Tony looked through his phone at the many pictures of Pepper and their daughter. 

He was very careful of what he posted on social media - Pepper explained to him the many things that could happen if he ever posted a bad picture of her online, but he wanted to post something to show the world how in love he was with the two women in his life. Looking at the picture he had taken of them this morning, with them in the rocking chair with the sunrise glowing in the room, he made sure the baby’s face wasn’t visible and that Pepper’s modesty would be kept. Once he found the perfect one, he posted it with a simple caption: The loves of my life.

Yeah, it was cheesy. Pepper would probably tease him about it later, but Tony didn’t care. This was his life now. He was happy. It was the happiest he had felt in years. Once the coffee was brewed, Tony poured himself a cup and waited for Pepper and their daughter to make an appearance.

Upstairs, Pepper was finishing up with Emma. Things were slowly getting easier. Nursing wasn’t as painful, naps were much easier to go down for, everything was slowly getting better. When the baby finished nursing, she covered up and sat Emma up to burp her. “Your dad just asked me to marry him,” she said softly. “He’s so full of surprises lately, but that’s okay. Makes me love him even more.”

Though, Emma just stared up at her mother and eventually let out a burp. Pepper laughed and poked Emma’s little nose. “You are adorable.” Getting up, she brought Emma over to the changing table to get her into a warm onesie for their appointment later. “Shall we go find daddy? I bet he’s drinking some coffee right now.”

Bringing Emma downstairs, Pepper found Tony in the kitchen, coffee mug in hand. “Told ya,” she whispered to her daughter. Then smiled at Tony. “Good morning,” she kissed his cheek. Emma was resting against her shoulder and let out a big yawn. Looking at her daughter, she chuckled. “Oh the life of a baby, must be so nice.” 

Tony reached out to tweak Emma’s little nose and grinned when she reached for his hand. “She’s growing up too quick, this isn’t fair. Six-weeks old, that’s crazy.”

Pepper laughed and kissed Emma’s little head. “It’s not like she’s six-years old,” she told him. Offering the baby to her father, she kissed Tony’s cheek. “Now, how about you watch the little one for a few minutes so I can take a quick shower.” Pouring herself half a cup of coffee, Pepper blew a kiss to them both before heading back upstairs to get herself ready for the day. 

Looking at the baby in his arms, Tony smiled. “What do you want to do this morning? Want to watch some cartoons? Yeah, let’s watch some classics.”

* * *

The family left just over an hour later to make it to their appointment. Pepper smiled as she checked on Emma, who was napping in her carseat. Since the baby was okay, she turned forward again and looked at Tony. “I think we should go for a walk in the park after the appointment,” she suggested. “It would be really nice to get some fresh air.”

Tony was a little leery of the idea, because he knew that people sometimes liked to follow them when they were out, but he didn’t want Pepper to think she was confined to their home either. “I think that would be really nice,” he took her hand. “As long as Happy is 20-feet behind us at all times.”

Pepper rolled her eyes, but agreed. If that made Tony feel safe when they were out in public, then that was fine with her too. She didn’t want anything to happen to their daughter. 

Arriving to their appointment, Pepper loved that they were the only ones there. She was so glad her doctor was willing to accommodate them in that way too. Being brought to the exam room, Pepper took Emma out of her carseat and held onto her. The baby began to fuss almost immediately and Pepper chuckled. “It’s okay, no one likes being at the doctor,” she told her daughter. “But don’t worry, the doctor just wants to make sure you’re doing fine.”

And Emma was just fine. Weight was on track, she was growing perfectly. Just as she had before. Once the baby’s checkup was done, Pepper passed Emma over to her father so the doctor could examine her. Her abdomen was sometimes still sore where the c-section scar was, but the doctor said that was normal. Other than that, everything was fine and she was given pamphlets to start small workouts if she wanted to.  

Thanking the doctor, Pepper helped Tony get Emma dressed back up in her outfit and bundled her up in the carseat. Happy picked them up before taking them over to the park, so the family could have their little outing they wanted to. 

The air outside was cool, but it wasn’t unbearably chilly out. Pepper looked in Emma’s carseat as they connected it to the stroller. The baby was napping again, probably due to the motion of the car moving. She hoped this wouldn’t mess up their sleep schedule, but she didn’t want to worry about it too much. Draping a blanket over the stroller so no one could look in, Pepper looked at Tony as they began their trek through the park.

“Good to know everything seems to be okay,” Tony spoke up, walking beside his fiancee. It was peaceful, the park was quiet and there weren’t too many people there. “How’re you doing?”

“I’m okay,” Pepper smiled, she was being honest. That was one thing about their relationship she appreciated, that they were honest with one another. “I’m doing better. I just have one question.” She looked at Tony and waited until she had his attention. “You really want to marry me, right? I wasn’t just dreaming that happened earlier, right?”

Tony stopped. He thought they had discussed this already. “Pepper, I want to marry you because I love you. I love you so much.” Looking at her, he noticed the smile on Pepper’s face. “What?”

“I just wanted to hear you say it again,” Pepper smiled. “I love you too. That’s why I said yes.”

Pepper was very excited for their future as a family. Their daughter was her little miracle. Tony was the love of her life. Everything was falling into place. This was her life and she didn’t want anything to change.

_Fin._


End file.
